Apparatus for playing table games



Aug. 20, 1929. A. e. EYLES APPARATUS FOR PLAYING TABLE GAMES Filed Jan. 19, 1928 fl. G. EYLE'S Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES v 1,725,069 PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER GEORGE EYLES, OF FOLKES'IONE, ENGLAND.-

APPAIRATUS FOB PLAYING TABLE GAMES.

Application filed January 19, 1928, Serial No. 247,985, and in Great Britain January 24, 1927" This invention relates to an apparatus for playing a table game, and has for its object to provide apparatus suitably constructed for the playing thereon of a fascinating game partakin of the nature of the well-known game of illiards and shoveha-penny and which combines the entertaining values and features of each of the said games.

Broadly speaking the apparatus provided by the invention comprises a flat base or board having a polished upper playing surface, a number of discs adapted to be propelled-so as to slide over said surface, upstanding walls around the base or board, and pockets positioned at gaps between adjacent portions of said walls, into which the discs can pass after being propelled over the base or board.

In carrying out the invention, one or more end walls of the base or board is mounted so as to move out of normal position to give access to allow a disc placed to overlap the adjacent end of the base or board to be struck by the players hand, and to be subsequently replaced to normal position to take the rebound of a disc or discs. Such a wall may be hingedly or pivotally mounted to swing down from erect position to give the required access and may be spring-urged to erect position, means being provided to automatically engage and hold the said end wall or walls when swung to lowered position.

Various other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

In'order that the invention may be readily understood reference is directed to the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrating apparatus of practical construction in ac cordance therewith, and wherein Figure l is a plan view of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

Figure 3 is an end view showing one of the end flaps lowered.

Figure 4 is a detail'view of one of the end wall retaining bolts.

Figure 5 is an inside face view of the housing of a spring which actuates the movable end wall.

Figure 6 illustrates side and plan views of one of the discs employed in playing the game; and,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the method of hingeing a movable end wall to the base or board.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawings comprise a rectangular wooden board 1, the upper surface of which is not covered but polished so as to leave a smooth wooden playing surface. Along the side edges of the board 1 are permanently fixed upstanding wooden walls 2, to the inner surfaces of which are affixed cushion strips of rubber or other resilient cushioning material 3. The said side walls are not continuous from end to end of the board 1 but are discontinued for a distance at the centre of the length of the board to form a gap; that is to say, two separate wooden pieces 2 are provided at each side edge arranged with their adjacent ends spaced apart. At the gaps so formed are provided fixed pockets 4 so constructed and mounted that a disc propelled so as to slide over the board in the direction of a pocket will slide over the edge of the board and drop into the pocket. Additional similar pockets are furnished at each of the four corners of the board. Each of the end walls 5 of the board is hinged to the adjacent end of the board by means of hinges 6, as shown in Figure 7, so that said wall 5 is capable of swinging down about the hinges from an erect vertical position to a lowered depending position, Shown in dotted lines in Figure 7, in which latter position it is at an angle of about 270 degrees to the playing surface of the board. A small type spring 7 for urging the end wall 5 to erect position is contained within a circular box housing 8, said housing 8 having an arcuate'slot 9 in its inner wall 18, in which travels a rod '10 fixed to the underneath of the 'wall 5. Said rod 10 Where it passes into the housing engages into an eye formed on the outer end of the spring 7 contained in said housing.

For retaining the end wall 5 in its downwardly depending position, there is furnished on the underneath of the board 1 a catch consisting of a bolt 11 slidable in a casing 12 and furnished with a knob or trigger 13 projecting from said casing 12, the said bolt being urged by a spring 14 to an outermost position. The outer extremity of the bolt 11 has an inclined cam-like face so that when the end wall 5 is swung down by hand against the action of the spring 7, its end edge will engage the said inclined face of the bolt 11, and by riding on said face will cause said bolt to be pushed back against the action of its spring 14, but when clear of said face operating knob or trigger 13, whereupon the end wall 5 is released and springs to erect position to present a cushion to any disc or discs returning to the said end of the board.

Preferably the discs employed are each 7 ofthe form illustrated in Figure 6, and consist of an ivory, ivorine or similar circular flat-sided block 15, having a concentric'rece'ss wherein is permanently fixed a copper or other metal block 16 which projects to present a smooth flat surface for travelling upon the board.

Sets of holes 17 are made in the side walls 2 for the reception of pegs and for indicating scores made in playing the game.

The side walls as well as the end walls are provided with rubber or other cushion strips 3 on their inner sides and it will be followed that the movable end wall or walls, after having sprung to erect position, become, in

effect, rigid cushion members to take the rebound of the discs should they return thereto.

The counting of scores in playing the game for which the apparatus is intended, follows generally on the lines of the wellknown game of billiards; the method of playing the game differs, however, in that cues are not used in order to propel the object. Instead, the respective discs are brought to assume a positionv for being struck by the players hand by each of the players in turn. The apparatus also lends itself to the propelling of a disc by striking same with one of the movable end' walls when same is released as an alternative to using the hand for effecting the propulsion of the disc. i I claim IL A game board having a flat surface, a

I plurality of playing disks adapted to be slidably propelled over the surface of said board, side walls extending up from said connecting the end walls and said boardwhereby said walls may be dropped to better proj eot said playing disks, and automatic locking means for holding the end walls when moved to their lowered position.

3. Agame boa-rd having a flat surface, a plurality of playing disks adapted to be slidably propelled over the surface of said board, side walls extending up from said board above the surface thereof, pockets formed at the sides of said board, hinges connecting the end walls and said board whereby said walls may be dropped to better project said playfiat surface, a 7

ing disks, resilient tensioned means for normally holding the end walls in upright position, and automatic locking means for holding the end walls when moved to their lowered position.

4. A game board having a flat surface, a plurality of playing disks adapted to be slidably propelled over the surface of said board, side walls extending up from said board above the surface thereof, pockets formed at the sides of said board, hinges connecting the end walls and said board whereby said walls may be dropped to better project said playing disks, resilient tensioned means for normallyholding theend walls in upright position, "automatic locking means for holding the end walls when moved to their lowered position, and cushioning strips arranged along the inner walls around said board.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature hereto this thirty-first day of December, 1927.

ALEXANDER GEORGE EYLES. 

